Saturday 12th April, 2025 at 6:45pm
Partick Thistle’s race to secure a promotion play-off spot stalled on Saturday, with a 2-1 loss to Hamilton Academical at The Wyre Stadium at Firhill.
The Jags came into the fixture three points clear of play-off rivals Raith Rovers, while Hamilton started the day in eighth place, two points clear of Dunfermline in the relegation play-off spot.
There were two changes from the team that started last Saturday’s 2-1 defeat away to Airdrieonians with Ben Stanway deputising for the suspended Stuart Bannigan. Josh Reid was absent from the matchday squad as Thistle reverted to a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Dan O’Reilly moving to left back as Aidan Fitzpatrick came in for Reid.
It was Thistle who started the brighter of the two in the opening minutes with some encouraging play down the wings, playing balls into the box, just lacking an end product.
Hamilton would have the first meaningful chance of the game, after an error from Robbie Crawford saw Thistle lose possession in their own half. Oli Shaw raced through, but his low shot from outside the box went wide as it remained goalless.
Logan Chalmers had a couple of half-chances as Thistle continued to look the more lively going forward, before Accies pounced against the run of play to open the scoring.
Lee Ashcroft looked to get himself to a dangerous ball in the Thistle box, but as he did, Luke McBeth also tried to clear it away. McBeth proceeded to flick his ball over Ashcroft, straight into the path of Nikolay Todorov. Todorov promptly volleyed the ball home from eight yards out to give Accies the lead.
Two minutes later, Accies had doubled their lead. A misplaced delivery from a set-piece by Kyle Turner allowed Robinson to catch our defence napping and break through on goal. The former Jag was then able to dispatch his shot past Lewis Budinauckas with ease for 2-0.
The Jags tried to respond, coming close on twenty-two minutes when Brian Graham got his head to a lovely Kanayo Megwa cross, but his effort went wide.
The game then descended into a slog as Thistle looked to have stuffing knocked out of them by the quick-fire Accies double.
Thistle’s brightest forward move occurred just moments before half time. Chalmers pressed through on the right-hand side, but before he could launch the ball into the box, the referee spotted a Hamilton player down in the middle of the pitch and blows for an Accies free kick.
Stanway tried to liven up play with a few crosses into the box in stoppage time, but Accies keeper Dean Lyness dealt with them easily as Thistle went into the break two goals down.
Half Time – Partick Thistle 0 Hamilton Accies 2
The opening moments of the second half saw Thistle cause Hamilton’s defence more issues, but Accies keeper Lyness was able to deal with efforts from Dan O’Reilly and Graham with ease.
The game once again ground to a halt as Accies sat in and dictated the pace, dealing with The Jags’ forays forward easily.
The seventy minute mark saw a bit of good news as academy graduate Liam Rooney came on for his debut appearance in Thistle colours, replacing Megwa.
Rooney looked lively when he came on, with Thistle getting more into the game after he came on.
The youngster came close to a dream start, firing in a wonderful cross for Graham to hit home what would surely be Thistle’s first goal of the game, but Graham was unable to make contact at the back post with the high ball.
The clock ticked down as Thistle looked set to end the game goalless before Graham halved the deficit in stoppage time.
Graham managed to get his head onto Stevie Lawless’ cross, dinking over Lyness for his 96th competitive goal in red and yellow.
It wasn’t enough to rescue a point though, as Accies held on for a vital win in their bid to escape relegation.
Half Time – Partick Thistle 1 Hamilton Accies 2
The result sees The Jags remain in fourth place, but with their lead now cut to two points after Raith Rovers’ 1-1 draw against Airdrieonians today. Partick Thistle return to action next Saturday, with a trip to Fife to face Dunfermline Athletic at East End Park.
Teams
Partick Thistle: Lewis Budinauckas, Kanayo Megwa (Liam Rooney 70’), Lee Ashcroft, Dan O’Reilly, Aidan Fitzpatrick, Luke McBeth, Robbie Crawford (Terry Ablade 79’), Kyle Turner, Ben Stanway (Stevie Lawless 55’), Logan Chalmers; Brian Graham
Unused Substitutes: David Mitchell (GK), Luis Cameron {GK}, Matthew Falconer, Nick Lockhart.
Hamilton Academical: Dean Lyness; Dylan McGowan, Sean McGinty, Barry Maguire; Steven Bradley, Kyle MacDonald, Charlie Telfer (Lee Kildare 94’), Regan Tumilty (Jackson Longridhr 58’); Scott Robinson (Jamie Barjonas 59’), Nikolay Todorov (Kevin O’Hara 87’), Oli Shaw (Ricki Lamie 94’)
Unused Substitutes: Charlie Albinson (GK), Euan Henderson, Stuart McKinstry, Stephen Hendrie
Referee: Duncan Nicolson
Crowd: 3,421
By David Forrest
50/ 50 Draw Winners
First prize – £575 – Ticket number 245466
Second prize – Chance to compete in crossbar challenge – Ticket number 245452
